Zuko Alone
by Raewolf
Summary: I rewrote the end of the episode of Zuko Alone so that Zuko, instead of just ignoring the pain, allows Lee and his mother a glance at what he's been through. May be extras where Zuko sees Lee after the episode and such meetings are entirely of my creation
1. Chapter 1

"Stay away from my child!" The woman shouted at Zuko, hiding Lee behind her back. He grimaced in pain; the woman had inflicted an emotional scar onto his soul like none he'd ever had. He opened his eyes and searched the woman's face pleadingly.

"You think that I've never felt pain?" He asked impulsively. She looked away without answering, her face set in anger. The teen switched his focus to Lee. "You asked me how I got my scar? My father was angry once. I had talked out of turn. I was only thirteen-years-old." He touched the warped piece of flesh around his eye. Tears of anger, and of a lost childhood, collected in Zuko's eyes and he blinked them away quickly. He would not appear weak. Through the moisture, he could see Lee's angry face fall. Now he watched the older boy not with the kind wondering he once did, or the disgusted fury he just showed. But with a sad pitying look as he glimpsed a darker moment of Zuko's past. Zuko turned, with his head bowed and walked away from the child and his mother.

"Thank you for the hospitality, and the warm meal. It was more appreciated than I could ever explain." He looked over his shoulder and gave them a shaky smile. The rest of the town, who'd gathered to watch the fight, hadn't heard what conspired between the Prince and the child, and as he left the village they sneered at him and shouted unfriendly things.

"How dare you come here?! Your nation has ruined us!"

"You've killed our loved ones and YOU have the nerve to look us in the eye?"

He didn't of course, his face never left the ground.

"My husband is gone and I've three small children to look after, by myself!"

"My son is dead because of you!"

Oh well. He'd heard worse. It didn't matter. What they thought of him didn't matter to him. He is—was—the crown prince of the magnificent Fire Nation. That meant that these—peasants—were inferior to him, right? They meant nothing to him! Right? He winced as the people around him attacked him with their pain. He deserved this. Every last bit. It was his fault, his honor was gone, and he didn't know who could return it to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Kotarou: Runs Hey

The war was over. And well, Firelord Zuko had a little problem. Unfinished business, if you will. He rode on the back of an emu-horse just like he had a long, long time ago. Even this was difficult because his royal guard was so opposed to it. And they followed him _everywhere_. He rode straight through the town, without stopping and made his way to the countryside. As he passed the a number of pins filled with animals, an enormous cacophony of 'oinks' told him that someone would be out to meet him soon. He laughed behind his hand as he remembered the little boy defending his farm, saying that no one could ever sneak up on him and his family this way. Zuko smiled sadly and whispered.

"You were right, Lee." A teenage boy ran out of the house and down the dirt road, kicking up as much dust as was humanly possible. Zuko sensed the uneasiness in the armored men behind him. They began to walk closer to their prince, laying their hands on their weapons, but Zuko waved them back a good ways away from him.

"Hello?" He called, waving. Zuko smiled, the boy was not Lee, he was too—buff. And much too tall.

That only left one alternative.

"You must be Sensu. I knew your brother, Lee. I came to see him." The boy's face seemed to harden, but then a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.

"Reaaallllyyyy?" He asked, elongating the word. Zuko immediately got the feeling that he wasn't getting something he should. "So, you're a friend of Lee's? Why're you here to see him?" The older brother asked. Zuko sighed dejectedly.

"I came to see if he and your mother are still angry with me." Zuko shook his head trying to remove the images of their hateful faces. Sensu grimaced.

"Zuko. I'm sorry." He whispered. Zuko blinked.

"For what? Wait. How did you know my name? I never—introduced myself." The other laughed nervously.

"Lucky guess?" He tried, shrugging, with a sheepish expression.

"Lee?" Zuko shouted annoyed. The other boy nodded, looking slightly abashed. Lee snuck a glance at Zuko to see if he was angry, but Zuko just laughed. It was a comfortable sound, and Lee immediately loosened up, grinning up at the new Firelord. "You've changed a lot since the first time I saw you, throwing eggs at big men who would've beat the crap out of you for just looking at them funny."

"Yeah, well, after you saved my ass, I started working out, and I found a martial arts teacher in a nearby town who was willing to teach me. Next time there's need of a hero, I'm going to do the saving!" Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Oh, shoot! I haven't invited you in!" Lee looked horrified with himself, which was absolutely hilarious to Zuko. Lee crawled out of his little self-hatred hole long enough to glance behind his guest. "What are we to do with your, um—group?"

"If it's okay with you and your family, they have enough supplies and would be happy to camp out in your yard." Lee nodded and Zuko turned his beast of burden around and ordered the men to set camp.


End file.
